The Trip

For a debut feature, Dean's The Trip swings big - and it connects. It captures the altered-state headspace with a surprising amount of authenticity, using visuals, pacing, and sound design to keep the viewer disoriented in all the right ways. It's trippy without being over the top, unnerving without losing its human core.

I first talked with Dean about The Trip on my podcast back when it was still in its crowdfunding stage. That conversation stuck with me, and it ended up influencing my own upcoming cosmic horror novella, Seams of the Infinite. Different story, different world, but both share that hallucinogen-threaded perspective Dean handled so well here.

And horror fans - yes, that really is Doug Bradley, the Pinhead from Hellraiser, making an appearance. It's a great touch, and it ties the film into horror's larger legacy.

If you're grading Dean Jacobs on the same scale you'd grade a John Carpenter film, you're missing the point - and you're not being credible. This is a debut, and grading it on the proper curve shows it for what it is: an impressive first at-bat from a filmmaker with a clear vision and the nerve to tell it his way. I'm excited to see where he goes next.

Loved the cast of this film. Their friendship is the highlight, feeling like a real group of friends on a weekend getaway gone bad. Having Doug Bradley and Hannah Fierman in the cast also added a level of gravitas of a familiar faces. Fun watch, can't wait for this team to do more!

Loved the cast of this film. Their friendship is the highlight, feeling like a real group of friends on a weekend getaway gone bad. Having Doug Bradley and Hannah Fierman in the cast also added a level of gravitas of a familiar faces. Fun watch, can't wait for this team to do more!

Loved the cast of this film. Their friendship is the highlight, feeling like a real group of friends on a weekend getaway gone bad. Having Doug Bradley and Hannah Fierman in the cast also added a level of gravitas of a familiar faces. Fun watch, can't wait for this team to do more!

This is a solid first film with good writing, acting and directing. The actors' on-screen commeraderie gives the friendship story credence. And it definitely gave off Romero vibes with the camera work. The CD (that's me) calls it "a delightfully frightful romp," and "I laughed AND jumped in my seat!" It's a little campy without being over the top and not too scary if you're not into that kind of thing.

Plus being filmed near where I live in Western Pennsylvania makes it fun for the locals. You'll see things you recognize, which always makes for an interesting experience. The ending has some ambiguity as to what happened, and what comes next. It's a light cliffhanger, which opens it up to a sequel or prequel, or just something that makes you think.

It took like 1.5 hours before the first person died. I don't understand why.

"The Trip" fails to deliver a satisfying experience despite its promising premise. The film's attempt to blend dark comedy with thriller elements ends up feeling disjointed and uneven. While the concept of a couple's getaway turning into a nightmarish ordeal is intriguing, the execution lacks coherence and depth.

The plot is convoluted, often veering into implausible territory that strains credibility. Character development is minimal, leaving the leads feeling one-dimensional and their motivations unclear. This lack of depth undermines the emotional impact of the narrative.

Additionally, the film's attempts at humor fall flat, and the balance between suspense and comedy is poorly managed. The pacing feels uneven, with stretches of dullness punctuated by abrupt, jarring shifts in tone.

Visually, "The Trip" doesn't stand out, and its cinematography fails to enhance the atmosphere or tension. Overall, the movie's execution does not live up to its potential, making it a forgettable entry in the thriller genre.

The Trip was certainly a fun watch with a lot of mystery and a great premise, everything that a horror fan could want. The pacing and overal direction of the film was well done and the performances from all the main cast were really great, especially from Hannah Fierman. In regards to the characters, they were all very fun to watch onscreen and the chemistry between them was a definite highlight of the film. The horror and suspense was also done very well, and the ending leaves some questions unanswered which is always appreciated in a trippy film like this. Overall a very well directed and enjoyable horror movie!